As it turns out, there wasn’t just one Porsche used for the movie, but a total of six. It’s not uncommon to use several different cars while filming a movie. In this case, four were used during principal shooting, with two more used in post-production. But none of them were the same, boasting an array of different model years, wheels, transmissions, and in some cases, different original colors. Odder still, none of the four used for filming matched the 928 seen in the film. Say what now?
The film is supposed to portray a 1981 Platinum Metallic 928 with a five-speed manual transmission, offset “Phone-Dial” cast alloy wheels, and gold interior. The primary one used on set was the same model year but had an automatic transmission, flat 15-inch “Phone-Dial” wheels, a brown dash, and gold seats. Editing is a magical thing.
During the making of his documentary, Johnsen spoke at length with “Risky Business” producer Jon Avnet and writer/director Paul Brickman. They used the 928 because it was a “contemporary car” available at the time, one Joel’s father — a successful Chicago businessman — would drive as a daily commute car. They almost went with the highly recognizable Porsche 911, but it was considered “too mundane” compared to the “fresh, different, and exotic” look of the 928.
Brickman allowed Johnsen to dig through the film’s production records and raw cuts. Through meticulous research, he discovered the “primary driver” 928 had been rented (for $500 a day) from a local stock broker named Ted Kohl, one of only two people in the area who had the exact make, model, and color they needed. It was rented for 12 days and used for all the driving scenes, the famous final chase scenes, and most of the cast’s actual “seat time.”
